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Tselika M, Belmezos N, Kallemi P, Andronis C, Chiumenti M, Navarro B, Lavigne M, Di Serio F, Kalantidis K, Katsarou K. PSTVd infection in Nicotiana benthamiana plants has a minor yet detectable effect on CG methylation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1258023. [PMID: 38023875 PMCID: PMC10645062 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1258023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Viroids are small circular RNAs infecting a wide range of plants. They do not code for any protein or peptide and therefore rely on their structure for their biological cycle. Observed phenotypes of viroid infected plants are thought to occur through changes at the transcriptional/translational level of the host. A mechanism involved in such changes is RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). Till today, there are contradictory works about viroids interference of RdDM. In this study, we investigated the epigenetic effect of viroid infection in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Using potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) as the triggering pathogen and via bioinformatic analyses, we identified endogenous gene promoters and transposable elements targeted by 24 nt host siRNAs that differentially accumulated in PSTVd-infected and healthy plants. The methylation status of these targets was evaluated following digestion with methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes coupled with PCR amplification, and bisulfite sequencing. In addition, we used Methylation Sensitive Amplification Polymorphism (MSAP) followed by sequencing (MSAP-seq) to study genomic DNA methylation of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) in CG sites upon viroid infection. In this study we identified a limited number of target loci differentially methylated upon PSTVd infection. These results enhance our understanding of the epigenetic host changes as a result of pospiviroid infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Tselika
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | | | - Paraskevi Kallemi
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Christos Andronis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Michela Chiumenti
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy
| | - Beatriz Navarro
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy
| | - Matthieu Lavigne
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Francesco Di Serio
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy
| | - Kriton Kalantidis
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Konstantina Katsarou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
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Márquez-Molins J, Villalba-Bermell P, Corell-Sierra J, Pallás V, Gomez G. Integrative time-scale and multi-omics analysis of host responses to viroid infection. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023. [PMID: 37378473 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Viroids are circular RNAs of minimal complexity compelled to subvert plant-regulatory networks to accomplish their infectious process. Studies focused on the response to viroid-infection have mostly addressed specific regulatory levels and considered specifics infection-times. Thus, much remains to be done to understand the temporal evolution and complex nature of viroid-host interactions. Here we present an integrative analysis of the temporal evolution of the genome-wide alterations in cucumber plants infected with hop stunt viroid (HSVd) by integrating differential host transcriptome, sRNAnome and methylome. Our results support that HSVd promotes the redesign of the cucumber regulatory-pathways predominantly affecting specific regulatory layers at different infection-phases. The initial response was characterised by a reconfiguration of the host-transcriptome by differential exon-usage, followed by a progressive transcriptional downregulation modulated by epigenetic changes. Regarding endogenous small RNAs, the alterations were limited and mainly occurred at the late stage. Significant host-alterations were predominantly related to the downregulation of transcripts involved in plant-defence mechanisms, the restriction of pathogen-movement and the systemic spreading of defence signals. We expect that these data constituting the first comprehensive temporal-map of the plant-regulatory alterations associated with HSVd infection could contribute to elucidate the molecular basis of the yet poorly known host-response to viroid-induced pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Márquez-Molins
- Department of Molecular Interactions and Regulation, Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universitat de València (UV), Parc Científic, Paterna, Spain
- Department of Virologia Molecular y Evolutiva de Plantas, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pascual Villalba-Bermell
- Department of Molecular Interactions and Regulation, Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universitat de València (UV), Parc Científic, Paterna, Spain
| | - Julia Corell-Sierra
- Department of Molecular Interactions and Regulation, Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universitat de València (UV), Parc Científic, Paterna, Spain
| | - Vicente Pallás
- Department of Virologia Molecular y Evolutiva de Plantas, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Gustavo Gomez
- Department of Molecular Interactions and Regulation, Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universitat de València (UV), Parc Científic, Paterna, Spain
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3
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Ortolá B, Daròs JA. Viroids: Non-Coding Circular RNAs Able to Autonomously Replicate and Infect Higher Plants. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020172. [PMID: 36829451 PMCID: PMC9952643 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Viroids are a unique type of infectious agent, exclusively composed of a relatively small (246-430 nt), highly base-paired, circular, non-coding RNA. Despite the small size and non-coding nature, the more-than-thirty currently known viroid species infectious of higher plants are able to autonomously replicate and move systemically through the host, thereby inducing disease in some plants. After recalling viroid discovery back in the late 60s and early 70s of last century and discussing current hypotheses about their evolutionary origin, this article reviews our current knowledge about these peculiar infectious agents. We describe the highly base-paired viroid molecules that fold in rod-like or branched structures and viroid taxonomic classification in two families, Pospiviroidae and Avsunviroidae, likely gathering nuclear and chloroplastic viroids, respectively. We review current knowledge about viroid replication through RNA-to-RNA rolling-circle mechanisms in which host factors, notably RNA transporters, RNA polymerases, RNases, and RNA ligases, are involved. Systemic movement through the infected plant, plant-to-plant transmission and host range are also discussed. Finally, we focus on the mechanisms of viroid pathogenesis, in which RNA silencing has acquired remarkable importance, and also for the initiation of potential biotechnological applications of viroid molecules.
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Di Serio F, Owens RA, Navarro B, Serra P, Martínez de Alba ÁE, Delgado S, Carbonell A, Gago-Zachert S. Role of RNA silencing in plant-viroid interactions and in viroid pathogenesis. Virus Res 2023; 323:198964. [PMID: 36223861 PMCID: PMC10194176 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Viroids are small, single-stranded, non-protein coding and circular RNAs able to infect host plants in the absence of any helper virus. They may elicit symptoms in their hosts, but the underlying molecular pathways are only partially known. Here we address the role of post-transcriptional RNA silencing in plant-viroid-interplay, with major emphasis on the involvement of this sequence-specific RNA degradation mechanism in both plant antiviroid defence and viroid pathogenesis. This review is a tribute to the memory of Dr. Ricardo Flores, who largely contributed to elucidate this and other molecular mechanisms involved in plant-viroid interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Di Serio
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, Bari 70122, Italy.
| | - Robert A Owens
- Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Beatriz Navarro
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, Bari 70122, Italy
| | - Pedro Serra
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), Valencia 46022, Spain
| | - Ángel Emilio Martínez de Alba
- Institute for Agribiotechnology Research (CIALE), Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca, Villamayor 37185, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Sonia Delgado
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo (IAM-UPV), Camino de Vera, s/n 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alberto Carbonell
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), Valencia 46022, Spain
| | - Selma Gago-Zachert
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Section Microbial Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle/Saale 06120, Germany
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Sečnik A, Štajner N, Radišek S, Kunej U, Križman M, Jakše J. Cytosine Methylation in Genomic DNA and Characterization of DNA Methylases and Demethylases and Their Expression Profiles in Viroid-Infected Hop Plants ( Humulus lupulus Var. 'Celeia'). Cells 2022; 11:cells11162592. [PMID: 36010668 PMCID: PMC9406385 DOI: 10.3390/cells11162592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abiotic and biotic stresses can lead to changes in host DNA methylation, which in plants is also mediated by an RNA-directed DNA methylation mechanism. Infections with viroids have been shown to affect DNA methylation dynamics in different plant hosts. The aim of our research was to determine the content of 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) in genomic DNA at the whole genome level of hop plants (Humulus lupulus Var. 'Celeia') infected with different viroids and their combinations and to analyse the expression of the selected genes to improve our understanding of DNA methylation dynamics in plant-viroid systems. The adapted HPLC-UV method used proved to be suitable for this purpose, and thus we were able to estimate for the first time that the cytosine methylation level in viroid-free hop plants was 26.7%. Interestingly, the observed 5-mC level was the lowest in hop plants infected simultaneously with CBCVd, HLVd and HSVd (23.7%), whereas the highest level was observed in plants infected with HLVd (31.4%). In addition, we identified three DNA methylases and one DNA demethylase gene in the hop's draft genome. The RT-qPCR revealed upregulation of all newly identified genes in hop plants infected with all three viroids, while no altered expression was observed in any of the other hop plants tested, except for CBCVd-infected hop plants, in which one DNA methylase was also upregulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Sečnik
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nataša Štajner
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sebastjan Radišek
- Plant Protection Department, Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing, 3310 Žalec, Slovenia
| | - Urban Kunej
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Mitja Križman
- Laboratory for Food Chemistry, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jernej Jakše
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +386-1-3203280
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Gómez G, Marquez-Molins J, Martinez G, Pallas V. Plant epigenome alterations: an emergent player in viroid-host interactions. Virus Res 2022; 318:198844. [DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Abstract
Viroids are small, single-stranded, circular RNAs infecting plants. Composed of only a few hundred nucleotides and being unable to code for proteins, viroids represent the lowest level of complexity for an infectious agent, even below that of the smallest known viruses. Despite the relatively small size, viroids contain RNA structural elements embracing all the information needed to interact with host factors involved in their infectious cycle, thus providing models for studying structure-function relationships of RNA. Viroids are specifically targeted to nuclei (family Pospiviroidae) or chloroplasts (family Avsunviroidae), where replication based on rolling-circle mechanisms takes place. They move locally and systemically through plasmodesmata and phloem, respectively, and may elicit symptoms in the infected host, with pathogenic pathways linked to RNA silencing and other plant defense responses. In this review, recent advances in the dissection of the complex interplay between viroids and plants are presented, highlighting knowledge gaps and perspectives for future research. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Virology, Volume 8 is September 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Navarro
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy; I-70126 Bari, Italy;
| | - Ricardo Flores
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants (UPV-CSIC), Polytechnic University of Valencia, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Francesco Di Serio
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy; I-70126 Bari, Italy;
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Navarro B, Gisel A, Serra P, Chiumenti M, Di Serio F, Flores R. Degradome Analysis of Tomato and Nicotiana benthamiana Plants Infected with Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:3725. [PMID: 33918424 PMCID: PMC8038209 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Viroids are infectious non-coding RNAs that infect plants. During infection, viroid RNAs are targeted by Dicer-like proteins, generating viroid-derived small RNAs (vd-sRNAs) that can guide the sequence specific cleavage of cognate host mRNAs via an RNA silencing mechanism. To assess the involvement of these pathways in pathogenesis associated with nuclear-replicating viroids, high-throughput sequencing of sRNAs and degradome analysis were carried out on tomato and Nicotiana benthamiana plants infected by potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd). Both hosts develop similar stunting and leaf curling symptoms when infected by PSTVd, thus allowing comparative analyses. About one hundred tomato mRNAs potentially targeted for degradation by vd-sRNAs were initially identified. However, data from biological replicates and comparisons between mock and infected samples reduced the number of bona fide targets-i.e., those identified with high confidence in two infected biological replicates but not in the mock controls-to only eight mRNAs that encode proteins involved in development, transcription or defense. Somewhat surprisingly, results of RT-qPCR assays revealed that the accumulation of only four of these mRNAs was inhibited in the PSTVd-infected tomato. When these analyses were extended to mock inoculated and PSTVd-infected N. benthamiana plants, a completely different set of potential mRNA targets was identified. The failure to identify homologous mRNA(s) targeted by PSTVd-sRNA suggests that different pathways could be involved in the elicitation of similar symptoms in these two species. Moreover, no significant modifications in the accumulation of miRNAs and in the cleavage of their targeted mRNAs were detected in the infected tomato plants with respect to the mock controls. Taken together, these data suggest that stunting and leaf curling symptoms induced by PSTVd are elicited by a complex plant response involving multiple mechanisms, with RNA silencing being only one of the possible components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Navarro
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 70126 Bari, Italy; (B.N.); (M.C.)
| | - Andreas Gisel
- Istituto di Tecnologie Biomediche, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 70126 Bari, Italy;
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan 200001, Nigeria
| | - Pedro Serra
- Istituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (CSIC-UPV), 46022 Valencia, Spain; (P.S.); (R.F.)
| | - Michela Chiumenti
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 70126 Bari, Italy; (B.N.); (M.C.)
| | - Francesco Di Serio
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 70126 Bari, Italy; (B.N.); (M.C.)
| | - Ricardo Flores
- Istituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (CSIC-UPV), 46022 Valencia, Spain; (P.S.); (R.F.)
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Delgado S, Navarro B, Serra P, Gentit P, Cambra MÁ, Chiumenti M, De Stradis A, Di Serio F, Flores R. How sequence variants of a plastid-replicating viroid with one single nucleotide change initiate disease in its natural host. RNA Biol 2019; 16:906-917. [PMID: 30990352 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2019.1600396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how viruses and subviral agents initiate disease is central to plant pathology. Whether RNA silencing mediates the primary lesion triggered by viroids (small non-protein-coding RNAs), or just intermediate-late steps of a signaling cascade, remains unsolved. While most variants of the plastid-replicating peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd) are asymptomatic, some incite peach mosaics or albinism (peach calico, PC). We have previously shown that two 21-nt small RNAs (PLMVd-sRNAs) containing a 12-13-nt PC-associated insertion guide cleavage, via RNA silencing, of the mRNA encoding a heat-shock protein involved in chloroplast biogenesis. To gain evidence supporting that such event is the initial lesion, and more specifically, that different chloroses have different primary causes, here we focused on a PLMVd-induced peach yellow mosaic (PYM) expressed in leaf sectors interspersed with others green. First, sequencing PLMVd-cDNAs from both sectors and bioassays mapped the PYM determinant at one nucleotide, a notion further sustained by the phenotype incited by other natural and artificial PLMVd variants. And second, sRNA deep-sequencing and RNA ligase-mediated RACE identified one PLMVd-sRNA with the PYM-associated change that guides cleavage, as predicted by RNA silencing, of the mRNA encoding a thylakoid translocase subunit required for chloroplast development. RT-qPCR showed lower accumulation of this mRNA in PYM-expressing tissues. Remarkably, PLMVd-sRNAs triggering PYM and PC have 5'-terminal Us, involving Argonaute 1 in what likely are the initial alterations eliciting distinct chloroses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Delgado
- a Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (CSIC-UPV) , Valencia , Spain
| | - Beatriz Navarro
- b Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante (CNR) , Bari , Italy
| | - Pedro Serra
- a Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (CSIC-UPV) , Valencia , Spain
| | - Pascal Gentit
- c Plant Health Laboratory (ANSES-PHL) , Angers , France
| | | | - Michela Chiumenti
- b Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante (CNR) , Bari , Italy
| | - Angelo De Stradis
- b Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante (CNR) , Bari , Italy
| | - Francesco Di Serio
- b Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante (CNR) , Bari , Italy
| | - Ricardo Flores
- a Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (CSIC-UPV) , Valencia , Spain
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10
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Rosa C, Kuo YW, Wuriyanghan H, Falk BW. RNA Interference Mechanisms and Applications in Plant Pathology. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2018; 56:581-610. [PMID: 29979927 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-phyto-080417-050044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The origin of RNA interference (RNAi), the cell sentinel system widely shared among eukaryotes that recognizes RNAs and specifically degrades or prevents their translation in cells, is suggested to predate the last eukaryote common ancestor ( 138 ). Of particular relevance to plant pathology is that in plants, but also in some fungi, insects, and lower eukaryotes, RNAi is a primary and effective antiviral defense, and recent studies have revealed that small RNAs (sRNAs) involved in RNAi play important roles in other plant diseases, including those caused by cellular plant pathogens. Because of this, and because RNAi can be manipulated to interfere with the expression of endogenous genes in an intra- or interspecific manner, RNAi has been used as a tool in studies of gene function but also for plant protection. Here, we review the discovery of RNAi, canonical mechanisms, experimental and translational applications, and new RNA-based technologies of importance to plant pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Rosa
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Yen-Wen Kuo
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA;
| | - Hada Wuriyanghan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Inner Mongolia, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010021, China
| | - Bryce W Falk
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA;
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Hewezi T, Pantalone V, Bennett M, Neal Stewart C, Burch-Smith TM. Phytopathogen-induced changes to plant methylomes. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2018; 37:17-23. [PMID: 28756583 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-017-2188-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a dynamic and reversible type of epigenetic mark that contributes to cellular physiology by affecting transcription activity, transposon mobility and genome stability. When plants are infected with pathogens, plant DNA methylation patterns can change, indicating an epigenetic interplay between plant host and pathogen. In most cases methylation can change susceptibility. While DNA hypomethylation appears to be a common phenomenon during the susceptible interaction, the levels and patterns of hypomethylation in transposable elements and genic regions may mediate distinct responses against various plant pathogens. The effect of DNA methylation on the plant immune response and other cellular activities and molecular functions is established by localized differential DNA methylation via cis-regulatory mechanisms as well as through trans-acting mechanisms. Understanding the epigenetic differences that control the phenotypic variations between susceptible and resistant interactions should facilitate the identification of new sources of resistance mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, which can be exploited to endow pathogen resistance to crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarek Hewezi
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-4561, USA.
| | - Vince Pantalone
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-4561, USA
| | - Morgan Bennett
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-4561, USA
| | - C Neal Stewart
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-4561, USA
| | - Tessa M Burch-Smith
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-0840, USA
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